The simplest way to get — and stay — happy, according to psychologists

When was the last time you felt a light-hearted awareness where
you had a skip in your step, care-free grin on your face, and
overwhelming sense that despite what happened, everything was
going to work out?

In other words, when was the last time you were truly happy?

It's an amazing, but often fleeting, feeling. And many of us
don't get enough of it.

What's more, there's a common belief that if we seek out things
like a better career, more money, and meaningful companionship,
we'll be happier as a result.

But that may be a harmful misconception. Science journalist
Wendy Zukerman explained the idea on a recent episode of the
podcast series "Science
VS."

To measure the level of happiness in people around the world,
scientists use large surveys like the Mappiness app and the
World Happiness Report where thousands of volunteers answer
questions about how satisfied they are with their quality of
life, overall well-being, and happiness.

While the results can't conclusively say what exactly makes all
humans happy and what doesn't, the growing literature on this
topic has found
several key themes in how people can go about finding more,
long-lasting joy in life.

How much of our happiness can we actually control?

Many of us try to achieve happiness by accumulating more things
in life that we think will make us happy, like higher income or a
stable family life. But as it turns out, there's a scientific
reason this strategy won't do us much good.

A pretty large chunk of our happiness is genetic.

Several studies done over the past decade estimate that anywhere
between30% and
80% of our happiness is dictated by our genes. One large
study of 20,000 pairs of fraternal and identical twins
(widely recognized as the easiest way to separate the differences
caused by nature and nurture) found that roughly 33% of the
variation in life satisfaction is explained by genetic
differences.

If you do the math, that means that just a fraction —
about 10% of our happiness — comes from external things that
happen to us, including changes in our career, relationships, or
income.

So while going after that promotion might seem like it'll make
you happy, all that stuff only chips away at the tip of the
iceberg.

The "hedonic treadmill"

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A psychological phenomenon called the "hedonic
adaptation" — first coined in the 1970s — states that we all
have a base level of happiness that's basically unchangeable —
regardless of what happens in our lives.

If we get a job promotion, for example, we'll celebrate and feel
good, but those emotions are only temporary, the theory goes.

In the early '90s, British psychologist Michael Eysenck likened
this constant starvation for more — and more and more — to a
treadmill. Consequently, the "hedonic adaptation" is more
commonly known today as the "hedonic
treadmill."

"You're running but you're on that treadmill and you're not
getting anywhere in terms of happiness," Zukerman says.

Eventually that boost in happiness you get from a job promotion
or marriage proposal will abate, and you'll be back to the same
baseline level of happiness you were before the exciting change.

How to make a change for the better

There are lots of science-backed ways we can improve our overall
well-being and grow happier in the long-run. Here are just a few:

Meditate: Multiple studies
suggest that meditating — focusing intently and quietly on
the present for set periods of time — can help lessen feelings of
depression and anxiety.

Go outside: One study found
that a group of students sent into the trees for two nights had
lower levels of cortisol — a hormone often used as a marker for
stress — than those who spent the same two nights in a city.

Get involved in cultural activities: A study that
examined the anxiety, depression, and life satisfaction of over
50,000 adults in Norway offered an interesting link: People who
participated in more cultural activities, like attending a play
or joining a club, reported lower levels of anxiety and
depression as well as a higher satisfaction with their overall
quality of life.

Spend money on others: A 2008
study gave 46 volunteers an envelope with money in it wherein
half were instructed to spend the money on themselves and the
other half put the money towards a charitable donation or gift
for someone they knew. The volunteers recorded their happiness
level before receiving the envelope and after spending the money
by the end of that same day. Sure enough, the
researchers discovered that those who spent their money on others
had a higher level of happiness than those who spent the money on
themselves.

Volunteer: In a recent review
of 40 studies done over the last 20 years,
researchers found that one activity was far more important
than the rest for boosting psychological health: volunteering.
This activity, the researchers reported, had been found in many
volunteers to be linked with a reduced risk of depression, a
higher amount of overall satisfaction, and even a reduced risk
of death from of a physical illness
as a consequence of mental distress.

Conclusion: If you're looking to get a mood boost that'll last
you in the long-term, focus on your state of mind in the present,
be grateful for what you have, and stop to enjoy it! You'll thank
yourself a few minutes — or a few years — down the road.